Does anyone know what route a troop ship would take returning soldiers from the Middle East To Australia in March 1942? Did they avoid the north because of the Pacific War and come via Fremantle? The particular ship I am asking about (I don't know its name) reached Adelaide on 18 April, but I am interested to know if it is possible that it could have called at Sydney first. Thanks!

Do you know the ship name, has the AWM got a ships diary?

No, it's annoying. There's no ship listed on the service record - just the return date to SA. Nothing on Trove about ship movements in local papers - understandably.... Jenny

Hi Jenny.

May I, in a gentle and friendly fashion, suggest that Google is the researcher's friend?

First I typed "troopship adelaide australia 18 april 1942". The very first link had the phrase Disembarkation order for the troopship Dorset. 18 April 1942.

Then I googled "troopship Dorset". The very first link goes to a page of World War II Sea War, Vol 5: Air Raid Pearl Harbor. This Is Not a Drill By Donald A Bertke, Gordon Smith, et al. The page has tables of ship movements, in particular:
I doubt that the Dorset called at Sydney first, but leave that research to you as a class exercise .

Thanks for that - I don't think my words were as succinct as yours when i tried, but I will learn! All the best

The actual route the ship took, subject to the standard deception manuveurs would have been. Suez Canal, Red Sea, the BAM, Gulf of Aden and then a quick dash to Ceylon - now Sri Lankan before heading southwest to Freo.